Writer/director Agnieszka Holland, who began her filmmaking career in the 1970s, is one of the preeminent film directors in Poland’s storied cinema history. Born in the aftermath of World War II and trained in Prague, Holland’s early films could be grouped with others of the Czech New Wave with their focus on political allegory, and the internalization of oppressive social systems on the part of the individual. Holland frequently faces fascism or proto-fascism in her films, and tracks its effects on the behavior of her characters. Her films BITTER HARVEST, EUROPA, EUROPA and IN DARKNESS were nominated for Academy Awards. She has also directed major US television series such as “The Wire” and her own series for HBO, “The Burning Bush.” Holland joins us in Austin in person for a special screening of her 1990 film EUROPA, EUROPA followed by a conversation, as well as the opening night of the Austin Polish Film Festival where she will present her latest feature, MR. JONES. AFS will present two additional works by Holland: her debut feature, PROVINCIAL ACTORS (1979), and THE SECRET GARDEN (1993).
